For 17 year old Aji Piper, it is his role to join with 20 other youth to sue the federal government. "Their complaint asserts that, through the government's affirmative actions that cause climate change, it has violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources." (https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit/) This lawsuit began in 2016 and has already weathered the federal government wanting the case to be dismissed. Gratefully, federal judges both on the original case and for the appeal saw merit in allowing the youth to continue with their lawsuit. After all, they only want clean air to breath, safe water to drink and healthy soil to grow the food they eat - they want the planet to be around for them and future generations.

Aji Piper spoke to the teens at the Western Regional Youth Event (WRYE) last month. It seems fitting to make you familiar with his work as we learn about the ways our faith challenges us to care for earth. Please take a few moments to listen to Aji's Tedx Talks and you'll hear about his landmark case against the Washington State Department of Ecology and this current case against the Federal Government. The case is scheduled to go to trial on October 29, 2018. You can read more about the case here. We are thrilled that our youth got to hear a peer who is making a difference as a "climate justice ambassador for the planet" as Aji calls himself.